Cash register



June 27, 1933. Q w GREEN 1,915,604

CASH REGISTER Filed June 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN ENTOR. B Charla; [MG/02 WITNEES Zf 4 T TOR I! E YS.

C. W. GREEN June 27, 1933.

CASH REGISTER Filed June 17 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. W. GREEN June 27,1933.

CASH REGISTER 5 m. M m

m m c m wm 1%? 5: EM n M Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENCHARLES W. GREEN, F ILIQN, N-EW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGNMENTS; TO

THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER GOIVIPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFIVZARYLAND CASH REGISTER Application filed. June 17, 1925. Serial No.37,728.

This invention relates to cash registers or accounting devices and moreparticularly to that class known as key operated machines. One ob ect ofthe present invention is the provision of aspecial key, the manipulationof which will release operating keys which have been depressed in errorwithout requiring a complete operation of the .machine. The operatingkeys in the machine herein described are adapted to be given apreliminary setting movement prior to their movements to effectregistration and the release of any keys which may have been set may beeffected at any time before the'registration has commenced.

A further object of the present invention is to prevent any manipulationof the key release device after a registering movement has been impartedby any key, that is, after any key has become effective on thetotalizers.

A still further object is to provide suitable locking devices to preventany misuse of the key release mechanism to operate the register in sucha manner that incorrect or improper registrations can be efi'ected. Tothis end suitable means have been provided to prevent twisting of thekey coupler through the improper use of the release key, by preventingany movement of any portion of the key coupler beyond coupling positionso long as the release key is shifted toward its releasing position.lVith these and incidental objects in view the invention consists incertain novel fea- .p

tures of construction and combination of parts, the essential elementsof which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred" form ofembodiment of which 1s hereinafter.

described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form partof the specithe left machine side frame having been re.

moved to show more ;.clearly theoperating key and associated mechanism.

Fig. 3 1s a detail view insideielevation showing the key releasemechanism.

Fig. i is another detail View showing howthe release key is lockedagainst operation after a registration had been commenced.

While in the accompanying drawings .the improvements are shown in oneform which they might taken when applied to or e1n-- bodied in machinesof the key-operated type shown and described in U. S. Patent No.

1,729,338,5eptember 24, 1929, and Patent No. 1,742,701, January 7 1930,both granted on the applications of Frederick L. Fuller, as

adapt them for use in connection with other types of machines and it isthe desire not to be hunted to the form of embodiment herein shown anddescribed.

General construction 'Thevarious parts of the mechanism are supported bya suitable frame work comprising a base'casting 20 and side frames 21',the latter belng'connected near their rear ends by a casting 22. Furthercross connections between theside frames'2l are in thefornr of a'tie.bar 23 across the lower front'of the "IHELChlIlQ anda tie bar'21acros'sthe lower rear art.

The illustrative a number of keys divided into. groups of amount keysand a special group of keys known as clerks or identifying keys; Otherspecial keys may also be included butforthe purposes of thepresentinventionthese need not be described. Theamountkeys 25 are-.pivoted upon a transverseshaft 26 andare notched at 27 'to. engagetheflange 280i? a key coupler 29 journalled at SO-between the sideframes2l- The clerks keys 81' (Fig.2) are located at one end of themachine and are likewise pivoted uponthe key shaft26. The pivotal-points30 ofthe key coupler 29 and .26 of the keys-are displaced withrespect toeach other so that the end of the key coupler machine is provided with l.ner to be described.

The normal operation of the illustrative machine requires that a clerkskey be first depressed, the movement of the clerks key raising the keycoupler to a position which may be designated as the couplingposition.It will not be necessary to describe here the interlocking mechanismwhich compels the depressionof a clerks key before an amount key isdepressed, since it forms no part of the resent invention and is fullydisclosed in the Fuller application #263,125 and the British patentsbefore mentioned.

The means for raising the key coupler29 to its coupling position upondepression of a key 31 comprises a cam surface 32 (Fig. 2)

co-operating with a cam edge 33 on a shoulder 34 integral with andprojecting from one end of the key coupler 29. The clerks keys arenotched at 35 so as to receive the shoulder and flange of the keycoupler when a clerks key is depressed to its coupling position. Theedge 36 of the notch. provides a stop face which engages the rearwardedge of the flange of the key coupler and stops the motion of the keyand the key coupler. From this it is evident that when a clerks key 31is depressed the cam edge 32 will co-operate with the cam edge 33 on'theshoulder 34 to raise the key coupler 29 to a partially elevated positionand positive means is provided to limit the extent of this partialmovement. By suitable mechanism which will be described presently thekey coupler will be held in its partially elevated position but whenpressure is removed from the clerks key the rear end of the key willdrop back until a finger 38 thereon restsupon the upper edge of anangularmember 39 fastened to the key coupler. At this time any of theamount keys may be slightly depressed to engage them with and to raisethe coupler still further. During this further operation theangularportion 39 will be'received by a cut-away portion 40 in the coupledclerks key.

Connected to the key coupler 29 is a plate 41 provided with a doublerack 42, the teeth of which are adapted to alternately engage the teethof a pinion 43 fast to a shaft 44 which is suitably journalled in theside frames 21. The connection is such that when the key coupler isrocked by the keys, the rack 41 is raised and lowered so that thereciprocating motion ofthe key coupler will beconverted into a rotarymotion of the shaft 44. The shaft'44 carries cams and other devices foroperating and driving various parts of the mechanisms.

In nearly all forms of cash register constructions it is necessary thatafter a registration is commenced some device be provided to compel acomplete performance of the started registration before a secondoperation can be effected. To this end there is secured to the mainoperating shaft 44 toward its right hand end a ratchet wheel 45 againstwhich bears a spring-pressed pawl 46 pivoted to the right side frame forpreventing any retrograde motion of the shaft 44 and thus insuring acomplete operation of the machine when once started.

As will be noted in Fig. 1 severalteethhave been cut away at the pointdesignated bythe reference character 47 this being the posi' tion whichthe spring-pressed pawl 46 occupies when the key coupler has beenpartially elevated to its coupling position, the pawl, of course,bearing against the tooth of the ratchet wheel which'is just in advanceof the space 47 to prevent retrograde movement of the key coupleror theshaft 44. This it will be understood constitutes the means for hold ingthe keys in their partially depressed or coupnng positions. f

The device for converting the reciprocating movement of the coupler intoa rotary motion of the shaft need not be described herein in furtherdetail as this sort of mechanism is well known in the art and showninmany patents. For details of construc tion and operation of one formof the above, reference may be. had to the patent to Thomas Carney#482,161 September 6, 1892.

Flcm'ble lacy coupling full'values indicated, registered and printed.This enables the operator to indicate. register and record with one handan item requiring the operation of two or more keys, thus obviating thenecessity of spanning several keys with his hands in order to secure thesimultaneous operation of the several. keys. The devices foraccomplishing this will now be described.

Mounted on the flange of the key coupler 29 are a plurality ofspring-pressed latch plates 53 best shown in Fig. 1. Attached to theupper face of the coupler are a number of rearwardly extending arms 50which are apertured to receive short studs 51 carried bv plates 52 whichare bent at 521 in a plane phrallel to the pivotal axis 51. The latchplate 53 may be attached to the portion 521 by rivets or other desirablefastening means. spring 5 1 projecting in sockets formed in latch platend the key coupler tends o tate the latch plate 53 and plate bout thepivotal point 51 until stopped by integral with the plate contactinguith the upper face of the keycoupler.

Each bank of keys has associated therewith a lat plate, there being apair of arms for supporting each latch plate its e5;- treme ends. inthis manner each latch plate may be operated independently of any otherlatch plate.

Vihonever the coupler has been raised to coupling point 1) the latcnplates 53 mounted on the coupler will be above the notches 27 former intie rear ends of the keys and will bear against the concentric edges ofthe k When it is desir d to attach an amoun to the key coupler which isnow above the keys the desired key is depressed slightly resulting inthe raising of the rear end of the key and by Virtue of the concentricedge co-operating with the rear edge of the latch plate the latter willbe rocked counter-clockwise until the concentric cage clei rs the latchplate 53. At this time the latch plate will be free to rock clockwiseunder the influence of spring 54 to engage the notch 27 formed in therear end of the depressed key. in this manner the amount key ispositively engaged or attached to the key coupler and in the same manneramount keys associated with the other banks may be partially andsuccessively depressed so as to attach them to the key coupler. Aspreviously described operation of any 0. the attached amount keys willresult in the simultaneous completion of the depression of all the keyswhich have been attached to the key coupler.

Differential mechanism The differential mechanisms and devicescontrolled by each of the various banksof amount keys are all similar inconstruction and operation so that a description of one will suflice forall Each of the amount keys is provided with an upwardly eXtendin g arm57 carrying at its extreme end a stud which co-operates with a slothaving two branches 58 and 59 formed in a cam plate 60 (Figs. 1 and 2).The cam plates 60, of which there is one for each key in a bank arecarried by a frame 61 loosely pivoted upon a transverse shaft 62. Theslots 59 in the cam plates 60 are concentric with respect to the shaft62 while the cam slots of the various plates are differentially gradedand are eccentric with respect to said shaft as well as to the shaft 26.From the foregoing it will be evident that upon depression of an amountkey a movement will be imparted to the frame 61 corresponding to thevalue of the key depressed. When the frame 61 is operated differentiallyby a key the studs associated with the undepressed amount keys in thesame bank will play in the arcuate slots 59 which permit the upwardtilting of the frame 61 without interfering with the studs carried bythe unoperated keys.

It is to be understood that there is a differential frame 61 for eachgroup of amount keys. .Each differential frame 61 has secured orconnected thereto so as to be movable therewith a segmental rack 63. Theteeth of the segmental rack 63 are in continuous engagement with thepinions 6 1 fast to the item type carri rs 65 which are journalled on aitem type wheels will print characters inclicating the amount of thetransaction entered in the machine. I

Totaliz are Rotatably mounted in frames mounted below the item typecarriers 65 and engageable with the segmental racks 63 are pinionsattached to numeral wheels of the printing totalizers designated as Aand B. The totalizers may be used for the purpose of registering amountsfor separate departments or clerks or for any other separate divisionsdesired and their operation may be placed under the control of the keys81.

Any suitable totalizer engaging or selecting mechanism may be used forthe attainment of this end, and one form which this mechanism might takeis shown and described in detail in the Fuller Patent No. 1.742,?01 andBritish patents hereinbefore mentioned.

As shown in the Fuller patent the devices for selecting a totalizer areunder control of the clerks keys and are rendered operative when aclerks key is depressed to its initial or coupling position. Thus itwill be observed that the pinions of the totalizer are meshed with thesegmental racks when the coupler is raised to its coupling position.Depression of the coupled amount keys will differentially actuate thesegments 63 and the totalizer pinions amounts commensurate with thevalues of the depressed amount keys.

During the return movement of the keys the totalizer pi'nions aredisengaged from the segmental racks leaving the totalizer wheels inthelr adpisted positions,

Key release mechanism Coming now to the novel elements of the presentinvention improved means is provided which may be operated independentlyby a clerk or operator to release all of the coupled keys when any havebeen incorrectly partially depressed. This permits all the incorrectlycoupled keys to be released so that the correct keys may subsequently becoupled and the correct amount registered and l'llCllcat-ed. Coupling ofthe keys requires but a slight movement of the keys and the proximity ofthe keys results occasionally in the coupling of the wrong keys or insome cases, adjacent keys in different banks. Since in machinesheretofore constructed the coupled keys could not be returned to normalposition without an operation of t 1e machine it was necessary to gothrough with the incorrect registration and later rectify the incorrectamount entered in the machine.

As illustrated the release key which is located at the right of themachine 3) is bifurcated toward the front end to enge shaft '71 and itis apertured toward its other end to receive the shaft 62 previously re-:Ferred to. By these means the release key is guided in its slidingmovement. Near its rearward end the release key is provided with anupwardly extending arm 72 having a lug 73 adapted to bear against theupper end of the full stroke pawl 46.

1 shows an amount key coupled, the rey coupler and shaft ll being heldagainst a retrograde movement by the engaging end of the pawl 46 bearingagainst a ratchet tooth. If the key so coupled happened to beerroneously depressed the release key 70 could be pushed slightly sothat the lug '73 contacting with the full stroke pawl 46 would. disenp'e the pawl. from ratchet wheel .15. At t s time the key coupler byvirtue of its wei 7 t can return to its normal position carrying with itall of the coupled. keys.

For returning; the release key to its normal. position there is providedav spring 74- fastened one end tothe frame 21 and at its other end tothe upper end of a pawl 75 which in turn is pivotec at 76 to the rear ndof the release key. A lug 7? integral with the pawl. 7 5 contactin withan extension I" 8 of the key limits the movement of the pawl and in connection with the spring 7d provides. the means for returning the releasekey after it has been operated.

It is, of course, desirable to prevent any operation of the release keyafter the key coupler hash-con rai ed above its coupling" position,since at this point the operation of the totalizer begins. To this endthe release key 70 is provided with. a rearward projec tion 79 which isin the plane of a disc 80 loosely mounted upon the rotation shaft 4rd.The disc 80 is provided with a forward extension 81 and also carries apin 82. Extending between the pin 82 and a shoulder 83 of a disc 84secured to the rotation shaft 44 by pling position the disc 80 togetherwith disc 8 1i will be given a clockwise movement asviewed in Fig. l,and when the key coupler is substantially in the position whereby keysmay be coupled thereto the lug 81 on the disc 80 will be positionedabove the projection 79 of the release key and when in this position therelease key may be operated. When, however, the lug 81 is rotatedclockwise slightly to the position shown in Fig. 4, the contacting-oithe lug S1 with the projection 7 9 will prevent any operation of therelease key. During a further operation 01"" the machine the disc 80will continue to be rotated and sincethe periphery oil the disc 80 is inthe path of the projection T9 it will be impossible to operate therelease key until the registration has been completed.

Safeguarding devices The mechanism as thus far described is substantially complete and practically operative, but some devices, which may becalled precautionary devices are desired to prevent any fraudulentoperations of the machine.

Tn the type of machine shown in the drawings the totalizer pinions arebrought into mesh with the segmental racks during the time that thecoupler is being elevated to its coupling position. Further movement ofthe key coupler will result in the actuation of the totalizer element,and in the event of a 9 key being operated the cam slot 58 will becomedirectly effective at a maximum rate so that a registration willcommence immediately after the coupler is raised above the couplingpoint and a unit will be added by slight additional movement.

The cut-away portion l on the ratchet wheel permits a slight movement ofthe coupler which may under some circumstances be suliicient to add aunit in a totalizer wheel when the larger digit keys are used. If therelease key could subsequently be operated, the construction of thetotalizer engaging mechanism would permit the disengagement of thesegmental racksand pinions while the unit entered in the totalizer wheelmight be retained and the other parts would be per mitted to assumetheir normal positions. Thus by successively adding a unit in thetotalizer and subsequently operating the release key improperregistrations might be efiected, if no means were provided to preventit.

To prevent this possibility, however, the pawl 7 5 is provided with. ashoulder 87 which is adapted to engage the lug 81, the parts be ing sodesigned and timed that the lug will be caught by the pawl before a unitcould have been inserted in a totalizer element by the depression of a 9or one of the higher value keys. Fig. 4 shows the position the partsoccupy when this has been accomplished.

An inspection of this figure will show that the lug 81 has been movedsufficiently to bring it in the path of the projection 7 9 of therelease key and it will, therefore, be impossible to operate the releasekey after the registration of a unit has been accomplished.

It sometimes occurs that when the keys are coupled to the key couplerthe latter is slightly raised above its coupling position, thefullstroke pawl 46 at this time co-operating with the cut-away portion47 on the ratchet wheel. hen an over-movement is imparted to the couplerthe disc 80 will be rotated sufiiciently so that the pawl 75 will retainthe lug 81 in the position shown in Fig. 4. llt Wlll be clear from thisfigure that if the disc 80 were fixed to the shaft 44, instead of havingthe flexible connection which has been provided, the shaft 44 would berigidly held and through the rack connection 41 would hold the keycoupler just above its coupling pos tion. If the key coupler were held1n this position the rear edge of the flange 28 would co-operate withthe concentric edge .56 of all the keys thereby preventing the couplingof the keys in the other banks.

It is desirable that when an over-movement is given to a key other keysshould still be capable of being attached to the key coupler. Theflexible connection between the disc 80 and the shaft 44 permitsthe'holding of the disc 80 by the pawl 75, but will also permit the keycoupler to drop sufilclently so that the flange 28 is below theconcentric edge 56 of the keys. It is also clear that when a key isoperated in this manner the release key will be locked against anymovement (Fig. 4) and although it is possible to couple other keys tothe key coupler it 1s necessary to go through with the registration inthe usual manner.

Another way in which areglster mlght be operated fraudulently ifnopreventive means were adopted is to positively hold one end of the keycoupler and by forcing the key cooperating with the other end of the keycoupler the coupler might be twisted sufiiciently to permit a key tomove the segmental rack (33 to add a unit in one order of the totalizerand then the parts restored to normal position. One way in which thismight be accomplished by the present mechamsm if no means were providedto prevent it would be to depress a clerks keyto the coupling positionand to hold it depressed while the release key is forced into itsextreme rearward position. When the key coupler had been elevated thelug 81 would be rocked sufficiently to contact and project against theupper edge of the projection 79 on the release key 7 0. This cooperationwould positively prevent one end of the key coupler from being raised aslong as the release key was retained in its innermost position. It wouldbe 111k possible to raise the end of the key coupler because the liftingof this end of the key coupler would tend to rotate the shaft 44 in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 and since the lug 81 would beheldpositively, an attempt to rotate the shaft 44 clockwise would beprevented by the shoulder 86 contacting with the stud 82 carried by thedisc 89.

If, now, an amount key of the highest digit in the bank adjacent to oneof the clerks keys were coupled to the key coupler (the clerks and therelease key being retained in their operated positions) a forceddepression of the amount key would raise the rearward edge of the keycoupler so as to permit the operated key to move its stud in the camslot 58 of its respective cam plate. Forcing of the key would permit thecam plates and frame 61 and segmental rack 63 to be operatedsufliciently to add a unit in the totalizer which had previ'ously beenengaged with the actuating racks.

In order to prevent any such manipulation and positively prevent anytwisting of the key coupler in the manner indicated the release key 70is provided with an extension riveted to the rear end'of the said key.The extension 90 contacts with an arm 91 fixed to a shaft 92 which iscarried by frames 93 attached to the rear machine frame 22. At variousdistances along the shaft 92 are securely fixed arms 94 each having anotch 95 adapted to co-operate with the latch plates 53 carried by thekey coupler.

Depression of the release key to its innermost position will immediatelybring the locking arms 94 over the key coupler and since these arms arelocated at different points along the key coupler the rear ends of thelatter will be rigidly held against any upward movement, therebypreventing the manipulation previously described.

In describing the construction of the improved machine it has beennecessary to describe the operation of the Various features to such anextent that it is thought that the usual summary of operation of themachine may be omitted.

While the embodiment herein shown and described is well adapted tofulfill the objects above stated, it is not the intention to limit theinvention to the one form disclosed as it is capable of modificationsall coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is r 1. In a cash register, the combination with aseries of keys adapted to have a preliminary setting movement and aregistering movement in the same direction, of a special key adapted torelease said keys from their set positions, and means for preventingmovement of the special key after a registering movement of thefirst-mentioned keys has begun.

2. In a cash register, the combination with a series of keys, of a keycoupler adapted to be raised to the coupling point, a series of latchplates carried by the key coupler for coupling keys thereto, a releasekey for disengaging keys coupled to the key coupler, a holding devicefor the key coupler operative when the key coupler has been raised abovethe coupling point, and connections between the key coupler and therelease key for permitting other keys to be coupled to the coupler whenthe coupling point has been passed but preventing an operation of therelease ke In a cash register in combination with a key coupler adaptedto be raised to a coupling position, a series of keys adapted to becoupled to the key coupler, a special key for releasing coupled keys,and a locking arm adapted toprevent movement of the coupler above thecoupling position whenever the release key is held in its operatedposition.

4. In a machine of the class described, a main operating shaft, aplurality of operating keys, a member common to and controlled by saidkeys to actuate said shaft, means for coupling one or more of said keysto said member, manual means for uncoupling said keys from said memberbefore said keys are completely operated, and coac-ting devicesassociated with said shaft and said manual means to prevent operation ofthe latter after a predetermined movement of the shaft.

5. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of keys having aplurality of stages stage of movement of each of said selected keys,said means being adapted to prevent further selection of keys when oneof said keys is in another stage of movement, manual means fordisconnecting said keys whenever no key has moved beyond the firststage, and means preventing operation of said manual means whenever anykey has once moved beyond the first stage.

6. In a machine of the class described, a key coupler having a couplingposition, a plurality of keys adapted to be selectively coupled to saidcoupler whenever the latter is at the coupling position, means foruncoupling the selected keys when the coupler is at the couplingposition, means for bolding the coupler at coupling position, said meanspermitting limited movement beyond such position without preventingreturn to coupling position, and means preventing uncoupling of theselected keys upon the return of the coupler from movement beyond thecoupling position.

7 In a machine of the class described, an elongated key coupler, aplurality of operating keys adapted to engage said coupler at variouspoints throughout its length for the purpose of rocking it, means tolatch said keys to said coupler, manual releasing means for said latchedkeys and means operated by said releasin means to prevent furthermovement of said coupler at any of a plurality of points along itslength. v

8. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of depressible keys,means for holding said keys when partially depressed, means forreleasing said keys prior to complete depression of any of said keys andmeans for preventing operation of said releasing means after any of saidkeys has been depressed beyond a certain limi In witness whereof I havesigned my name hereto this 15th day of June, 1925.

CHARLES W. GREEN.

